Friday, 3 October 2014

A Salon Guest... The English in France During the Peace of Amiens

It is my pleasure to welcome the charming Georgie Lee to the salon today to tell the tale of the English in France during the Peace of Amiens, the inspiration for her latest work!

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In March 1802, France and Britain signed
the Treaty of Amiens, ending the war that had raged between the two countries
since 1793. It was a time of great excitement for both Paris and England.
English high society was in a flutter as it rushed to France to enjoy once again
the delights of Paris, an indulgence denied to them by the last nine years of
conflict.

Upper class England’s love of all things
French is what made Paris so alluring. It was a mark of breeding to speak
French fluently, employ French cooks and follow French fashion. Before the war,
wealthy young gentlemen, and sometimes young ladies, weren’t considered properly
educated until they’d spent a year or two on the continent. Once France was closed
off to the English, many grand dames and old gentlemen lamented the loss of its
culturing influence on their children and grandchildren. With the Peace of
Amiens, it was once again safe to accompany the younger generation across the
Channel.

It wasn’t just the English who found
opportunity in the peace. Paris benefited from the influx of money from the
tourists. During the war years, the city had been left to rot while Napoleon
concentrated on conquering the world. Many of the English who returned to it
were surprised at the decay and decline that had taken place over the last nine
years. Also, thanks to the French Revolution, the old social order of Paris was
gone. Napoleon and the new aristocrats he’d created were the center of society
now and he wanted to make an impression on the English. He arranged an
exposition to show off French goods and allowed many high born English ladies to
be presented to his wife, Josephine.

Outside Napoleon’s circle, there were other
delights awaiting the English. Balls, dinners, and card parties were very
popular nighttime activities. During the day, visitors would travel to view galleries
full of paintings, Roman marbles and other artifacts which the English had been
denied access to because of the war. Then, just as now, Paris was all about
shopping for high end goods, and the English certainly shopped! Many spent
exorbitant amounts of money on china services, paintings, ancient marbles and
clothes.

The Peace of Amiens was also a time for
reunions. Many old aristocrats who’d fled France and the Terror now returned to
visit family, and petition Napoleon for the restoration of their lands. Some
were successful, most were not. Untitled people also went to France to visit
family they hadn’t seen for nine years. The poet William Wordsworth travelled
to France to visit his former mistress and the illegitimate daughter he’d sired
with her ten years before. Alexandre d’Arblay, the husband of author Fanny
Burney, travelled to France with his wife and their only son to try and reclaim
his land and to see his family.

The excitement of the peace did not last. In
January, cracks in the peace began to show and the tide of visitors to France began
to shift as people returned home. By early May 1803, it was imperative that
anyone who wanted to leave France needed to do so immediately. Those that were
able to make their way back to England were lucky. There were many who were not
so fortunate. Fanny Burney, her husband and son were trapped in France. She and
many others would not see England again until the Battle of Waterloo brought
down Napoleon in 1815.

The year after the Peace of Amiens was a
glittering time that ended almost as quickly as it had begun. For a few months,
the English were able to indulge their love for all things French, reunite with
loved ones, visit old friends and gather experiences before war denied them
access to the country for another twelve years. It was a time rife with
conflict, excitement, anticipation, loss, hope and fun, a great time to provide
drama for a romance novel.

The
Courtesan’s Book of Secrets by Georgie Lee

Available
October 1, 2014 from Harlequin Historical

Uncovered: a list of noblemen's names—each one guilty of
treason.

To save his family legacy, Rafe Densmore must seize a
courtesan's infamous register. No one can ever know how his father betrayed his
country! One person stands in Rafe's way—the beautiful Cornelia, Comtesse de
Vane.

In the card rooms of Paris, Rafe and Cornelia made an
unbeatable…intimate team. Until, convinced of Rafe's desertion, desperate
Cornelia married an elderly comte. Now, returning to London an impoverished
widow, she'll do anything to possess the register.

A
lifelong history buff, Georgie Lee hasn’t given up hope that she will one day
inherit a title and a manor house. Until then, she fulfils her dreams of
lords, ladies and a season in London through her stories. The Courtesan’s Book of Secrets is her third Harlequin Historical.
When not writing, she can be found reading non-fiction history or watching any
movie with a costume and an accent. Please visit www.georgie-lee.com to
learn more about Georgie and her books. Alternatively, you can find her on: